ZWO EAF Operating and maintenance manual

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Electronic Automatic Focuser
Detailed Installation and
Operations Manual
苏州振旺光电有限公司
Suzhou ZWO Co.,Ltd.
Thank you for purchasing the ZWO EAF. This guide will give you a brief introduction to the installation of
your new Electronic Automatic Focuser. Please take the time to read it thoroughly and if you have any
other questions, feel free to contact our support team at [email protected]

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Welcome to Your New Focuser Experience
The EAF is a high quality Electronic Automatic Focuser (EAF)
designed to suit a wide range of Optical Tube Assemblies (OTA). It
is supplied with a versatile mounting bracket system suitable for
flexible installation across a wide range of telescope focuser
systems.
Product Description
The ZWO EAF is an all metal bodied electronic focus drive system
designed for installation across a wide range of Optical Tube
Assemblies. The flexible mounting system allows installation
across refractors, Newtonians, Cassegrain and many other
telescope designs. The included accessories provide for a quick
and simple installation using the supplied hardware and wrenches.
Finished in an attractive red anodised finish, the EAF’s original
design will grace any telescope. The EAF logo uses the Airy spot
as an embellishment to reflect its precise focusing performance.
The EAF utilises a 35mm stepper motor which is subdivided into
5760 steps capable of being accurately positioned at any angle.

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Features (Standard Version)
•High quality metal focuser with anodized finish.
•Precise focus control for planetary and deep sky imaging.
•Can be used in both autofocus and manual modes.
•Flexible installation for use on a variety of refractors,
Newtonians, schmidt cassegrain and other Optical Tube
Assemblies.
•Versatile mounting bracket system with other adapters
available for purchase.
•ASCOM/INDI compatible drivers available for download –
interfaces with many well-known astronomy software
packages.
•ASICAP support built in.
•Native support in ASIAIR Version 1.1 onwards.
•Integrated USB interface.
•Powered by 12V DC 0.5A.

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Features (Advanced Version)
In addition to the features of the Standard version, the Advanced
version offers:
•Temperature sensor
•Hand controller
Supplied Accessories
1. EAF Body contains the focuser motor and controller.
2. Motor Bracket for attaching the body to the OTA focuser
assembly.
3. Flexible Coupling to attach the focus motor shaft to the OTA
focuser drive shaft.
4. Mounting Hardware –Spacers and screws to mount the
focuser body.

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5. M4 and M5 Wrenches for secure the shaft locking screws and
bracket hex screws.
6. USB 2.0 Cable –connection of computers or ASIAIR to the
focus controller.
EAF Specifications
Construction Material
All metal, red anodised finish
Motor Specification
35mm Stepper Motor
Subdivision Steps
5760 steps
Torque
1.5N/M
Focuser Payload Limit
5KG
Power Requirements
DC12V @ 0.5A
Connector - 5.5mm*2.1mm Centre Positive
Data Interface
USB 2.0
Sensor/Hand Controller Interface
3.5mm audio, Centre Positive
The ZWO EAF utilises a USB2.0 interface for data communication
which supports ASCOM and can be used in association with a wide
variety of astronomy software.
Planetary imagers can use ZWO’s ASICAP or other third party
software packages such as Sharpcap, FireCapture.
Deep sky astrophotographers can enjoy support from ZWO’s
ASIAIR or other well known packages such as Maxim DL, The
SkyX, Sequence Generator Pro, Nebulosity and many more. Third
party focus software such as FocusMax, is also supported.
Your EAF is also fitted with a small multi-function interface that
supports a temperature sensor or external hand controller.
A dedicated temperature sensor can be connected to collect
temperature data and allow focuser control from your chosen

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software. The hand controller allows for manual control of focuser
position and focus motor speed.
Installation
Your EAF is supplied with a bracket for connection to a wide variety
of focusers. The L shaped bracket supports:
SkyWatcher Astrophotography Reflectors, SkyWatcher Black Diam
ond, SkyWatcher Dobsonians, SkyWatcher Maksutov-Newtonians.
TS Optics,
Astro Tech,
Feather Touch,
SharpStar telescopes,
SkyRover telescopes,
Other focusers may also be suitable for fitting of an EAF and we
recommend you refer to the connection plate dimensions below
and confirm this suits your focuser before commencing installation.
A range of adapter for other telescopes such as SCT’s will be made
available via the ZWO online store and your local dealer. Please
check for further details.

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Dimensions

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Remove the coarse adjustment knob of
the telescope focuser using a suitable
sized wrench
Install the flexible coupling on the
telescope focuser shaft and tighten the
lock screw
Attach the focuser body to the flexible
coupler and tighten the lock screw
using the supplied wrench
Secure the EAF body to the bracket and
the bracket to the matching mounting holes
in the focuser assembly using the supplied
screws
Check all the mounting bracket is
secure. This completes the hardware
installation of the EAF. Download and
install the required drivers from the
ZWO website as required.
Connect the EAF to a 12V power supply
and connect to the USB cable to a
computer or ASIAIR.

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For curved focusing seats, such as those on the Sharpstar and the
Feathertouch focusers, you only need use the original locking screws
and 3 spacers to fix the EAF. There are grooves on the bottom of the
EAF connecting plate, and the single screw provides sufficient stability.
Connecting your EAF

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1.Connect your EAF to either a PC or ASIAIR using the USB port.
2.Attach an optional temperature probe or hand controller as
required.
3.Connect 12V DC to the power socket.
4.Install ASCOM drivers as required.
Software Installation and Configuration
ASCOM Installation
The latest version of ASICAP has native support for the EAF. Other
software packages will require the use of an ASCOM driver.
EAF ASCOM drivers can be found on the ZWO website:
https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/software-drivers
Download and install the ASCOM driver and launch the EAF
dashboard from within your astronomy software.

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Connecting EAF to your Astronomy Software
ASICAP
1.Open the focuser control panel.

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2. choose the focuser that you connected.
3. Set suitable settings for your EAF.
ASIAIR
1.On the ASIAIR main screen find the icon for the EAF.

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2. Click the icon and enter the EAF settings page.
3. EAF Advanced Settings .
Sharpcap
1.Open Sharpcap settings.

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2.Choose ZWO focuser.
FireCapture
1.Open the focuser panel in settings menu.
2.Check ”Use ASCOM Focuser”

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3. Choose ZWO Focuser in ASCOM panel.
Sequence Generator Pro
Maxim DL Pro
1.Open “Observatory panel”, in “Focuser 1”option, click
“Choose…”.

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2. Choose ZWO Focuser in ASCOM panel.
Nebulosity
To be added

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The SkyX
1.Open “Telescope” menu, and select “Telescope Setup”
2.Select “Focuser Setup”
3. select ASCOM Focuser

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4. Setup the settings of ASCOM focuser.
5.Choose ZWO Focuser
Additional Installation Information
There is significant torque from the EAF stepper motor. We
recommended setting the 0 position and the maximum number of
steps as a first step to prevent possible damage to the focuser.
For the standard bracket installation:
The 0 position is recommended to be set to the position when the
focuser is fully retracted.
The maximum number of steps is recommended to be set to a limit
position less than or equal to the full focuser stroke.
For the curved saddle installation:
The 0 position is recommended to be set near the focus of the
focus of the focus holder.

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The maximum number of steps is recommended to be set to a limit
position less than or equal to the focus seat stroke.
Manual Focus Control
Your EAF is able to be manually controlled and there are two ways
to achieve this. One is via the optional hand controller and secondly
via the astronomy software package in use.
We recommend you align your EAF in the daytime and use a
distant target such as a building to focus on when setting up the
focuser for the first time. This will help you in finding the correct
focus position with plenty of light to illuminate the chosen object.
When you have found the correct focus position during the daytime,
make a note of the step count number. When observing in the dark
later, this will make finding the focus position easier and trouble
free.

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ASICAP
1. When the image looks very fuzzy, use “coarse”button.
2. When the image looks slightly blurred, use “fine”button.